Admin

Game designer Jane McGonigal firmly believes that video games are not just about mashing buttons and getting to the next level. In fact, during her talk at TEDGlobal 2012, McGonigal gave several surprising statistics: that online gaming can be more effective than pharmaceuticals in treating clinical depression and that just 30 minutes a day is correlated with significant increases in happiness.

McGonigal says online games can even help people heal from injuries and achieve greater wellness in the face of disease. She used an interesting test subject to illustrate this point: herself.

In her talk, McGonigal shared that, following a severe concussion, she found herself bed ridden for three months with a voice in her head telling her that the pain would never end. As she explains, “I thought, ‘I am either going to kill myself, or I’m going to turn this into a game.’”